Day 70 Friday 15th May 2015 Karijini to Indee Station We pick up the Great Northern Highway again for the first time since New Norcia. Amongst all of our recent knowledge gathering we’ve now learnt that a road train with … Continue reading Go West, Day 70 – Indee Station
Day 69 Thursday 14th May 2015 Karijini National Park We climb down the rather steep steps into Dale’s Gorge to see the Fortescue Falls. My knees will never forgive me. The falls slip gently down rock steps into a large deep green pool far below. People are shedding their clothes and plunging into the cold water. One couple are even running about in wetsuits. We follow the woodland path through reeds and paperbarks and figs that grow in the rock crevices, to Fern Pool. A small waterfall drops into a perfect pool bathed in sunlight and surrounded by the high … Continue reading Go West, Day 69 – Karijini
Day 68 Wednesday 13th May 2015, light breeze wispy cloud, perfect for bushwalking Karijini National Park It was as black as pitch last night one of those when you have to feel your way to the bathroom. At the visitor’s centre we learn about the history of the area and life for the Aborigines after the Europeans arrived. There is a delightful story about a woman who learned to count while mustering sheep, all 29,000 of them. We meet the wife of the elder in charge of the park and she talks of the ‘yah yahing’ in government over what … Continue reading Go West, Day 68 – Karijini
Day 67 Tuesday 12th May 2015, cloudless Tom Price to Karijini National Park, Dale’s Campground The nights are quite cold here as we are at 719 metres, according to the GPS and do we trust her? Anyway, it is high for us coastal folk and we are sleeping well. Shirley, Double or Nuthin’ and I set off on the Rio Tinto mine tour for the morning leaving Woody (who’s over mines) to do the shopping. The tour takes us into the open cut mine pit and we soon learn why Tom Price is no longer called Mt Tom Price, they’ve … Continue reading Go West, Day 67 – Karijini
Day 66 Monday 11th May 2015, warm, clear Tom Price We rush into town to do the mine tour only to find that it has been cancelled for today. I think that’s God’s way of making us do a bit of housework. Woody pays $8 to wash the car down the back of the caravan park and comes back disappointed. The water is artesian and leaves streaks and he finds a chip in the windscreen too. It looks like we should factor in the cost of a new windscreen after each long trip. This town has a real community feel. … Continue reading Go West, Day 66 – Tom Price
Day 65 Sunday 10th May 2015 Beasley River to Tom Price A lone bird sings us awake. The inside of the van is a sea of dead bodies, a film of tiny black dots and bits of wings. It must have been a bugger of a night. Once more the road winds gently through the red rusty hills. Water courses are marked with white trunked ghost gums. As we approach Paraburdoo high carved hills come into view. The town is very suburban except for a large green 1600 HP haul truck on display beside the road. It must get very … Continue reading Go West, Day 65 – Tom Price
Day 64 Saturday 9th May 2015, clear 25 degrees at 9:30 Barradale to Beasley River Rest Area There is loud moaning coming from the cubicle next door, the sign above the drop dunny says “If you didn’t eat it don’t drop it down the tube.” Heaven knows what he ate! The road passes a range of mesas, red soil stippled with green spinifex buttons. What an interesting drive. The grass is lush and thick from the rains and in the distance the ranges are purple and lavender. What beautiful country this is. Nanutarra road house is clean and neat and … Continue reading Go West, Day 64 – Beasley River
Day 63 Friday 8th May 2015, clear, breezy 27 degrees at noon Osprey to Barradale Rest Area We leave the Ningaloo Reef campgrounds and head up to North West Cape. Double or Nuthin’ assures us that we can get the … Continue reading Go West, Day 63 – Barradale Rest Area
Day 62 Thursday 7th May 2015 Osprey campground, Cape Range NP Tucked into the Cape Range, tidal fed Yardie Creek Gorge is a hidden gem. The flat bottom boat takes us slowly and quietly up the creek. The red walls … Continue reading Go West, Day 62 – Ningaloo Reef
Day 61 Wednesday 6th May 2015, cloudless, windy Osprey campground, Cape Range NP The wind picked up again overnight and we wake to whistling and buffeting. “It’s enough to blow your wig off” as Aunty Thel would have said. High misty crests crown the breakers on the reef. We find a blowhole in the rocks that roars like an ogre with every wave when the tide is high. I am so captivated by the rock formations that I scramble head down across the rocks taking photos of fossilised coral and watching my every foothold carefully for fear of being shredded … Continue reading Go West, Day 61 – Ningaloo Reef
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